How Much Do Mechanics Charge to Inspect a Car
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Top-rated Mobile Mechanics
Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.
What does a pre-purchase inspection entail?
For your convenience, our mechanics go to the car owner's location to inspect the car. The mechanic performs a standard 150-point inspection that includes a visual inspection of the fluids, body, brakes, cooling system, suspension, HVAC, tires, and overall external appearance. They do not put the car on a lift but may use floor jacks to raise up parts of the car as needed. The mechanic will also take photos of the exterior and interior. You can see a sample report here.
The mechanic may scan the car's various computers for trouble codes and test drive the vehicle if it's safe, operational and the owner has been given permission. If the mechanic inspecting the car is not given permission to test drive the car or it is unsafe to test drive the car, the inspection will be completed without the road test portion. Tools used in the pre-purchase inspections are those needed to check the fluids, brakes, tires, batteries, and other parts of the vehicle. For a full step-by-step break down of how a pre-purchase inspection is performed read this article.
When are the mechanics available to inspect the car?
The mechanics are available 7 days a week from 7am to 9pm nationally You can book an appointment online anytime by selecting your location, car, and the pre-purchase inspection job. The specific availability of the mechanics in your area will appear after you request a quote.
Mechanic's Qualifications
On average our mechanics have over ten years of experience and most are master technicians with ASE Certifications. We extensively screen all of our mechanics with background, criminal, and reference checks. On each mechanic's profile page, you'll see a full list of all their certifications, years of experience, job skills, and feedback from real customers. We constantly monitor the performance of our mechanics to make sure they'll provide you with professional and courteous service. If you would like to view mechanics in your area browse them for your city here.
Car buying advice from our expert mechanics
1. Do your research
It is important to do proper research on the car you're considering. You'll have tons of options when it comes to buying a car, so arm yourself with as much information as possible before you make a big decision. Websites like CarBuyingTips.com are great repositories of car buying information. When you find a car that piques your interest, determine that there are no major potential problems with it. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a list of Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins (TSB), which will tell you about issues with the car.
2. You found a car you like—what to do before meeting with the seller
You'll want to know if the car has been in any accidents, has failed smog checks, or had other past issues. Get the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) from the seller, which you can use to learn about the car. CarFax is a good source of car history, taking data from insurance companies, shops, and other providers. Also be sure you know your budget, as well as the fair price and full cost of ownership of the car. Use Edmunds.com as a solid resource for determining the average cost of ownership of a car. We also recommend getting an insurance quote as well as pricing on registration fees and estimated yearly maintenance costs so you don't later discover any surprises.
3. When you meet the seller
Always, always,alwaystest drive the car. Ask a lot of questions about the car including why the owner is selling it, and whether they have any service records showing regular maintenance. Do a visual inspection of the car's exterior and interior to see that it is in an acceptable condition, and check for signs of accidents or damage.
During the test drive, listen for any strange noises coming from the car during acceleration or braking. Be sure to take the car out on a freeway to ensure it operates properly at high speeds. Test the brakes several times during the drive, braking both hard and normally to determine their responsiveness. Check the dashboard for any warning lights and make sure all the various controls (wipers, blinkers, radio, etc.) and the air conditioning system work.
4. The vehicle passed your inspection—now have a professional look it over
If you like the car and it is in good condition, negotiate the price subject to the inspection of a professional mechanic. At this point you can enlist a professional mechanic to give his/her diagnosis of the condition of the car. The mechanic's inspection will cover the fluids, brakes, electrical systems, cooling system, suspension, engine/exhaust, HVAC, tires, and body. The mechanic will scan the car's various computers for trouble codes and test drive the vehicle. Should the mechanic discover any problems, he can estimate repair costs and you can use these for further negotiations with the seller. This way you can have complete peace of mind about the car you are buying.
Recently inspected cars
2014 BMW 328i L4-2.0L Turbo
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2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport V8-5.0L Turbo
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2005 Ford E-350 Super Duty V8-6.0L Turbo Diesel
Inspected in Midlothian, Illinois.
2017 Chevrolet Volt L4-1.5L Hybrid
Inspected in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Commonly overlooked issues when buying a used car
1. Smog check
The seller of the car is required to get the car smogged before selling it. The car must pass the smog within 90 days of the intended sale date. This is the responsibility of the seller, so make sure you get a smog certificate or you may be in for a surprise when registering the car.
2. Keys, locks, remote controls, and other accessories
Make sure the seller is providing you with all necessary keys, key fobs, and remotes that go with the vehicle. For instance, if the car has wheel locks, make sure the seller provides you with the proper wheel lock key/socket. Also make sure the car comes with the owner's manual, any extended warranty documents and service records, as well as a spare tire, and jack, and tools (this one often goes unnoticed).
3. Verify that the pink slip gives you clear title
Make sure that there are no liens against the car—in other words, no bank or other party still holds an interest in the vehicle. On the pink slip you will see the owner's name and any lien holders listed. "Lien holders" should either be blank or any holders will have signed off as "lien-satisfied." Essentially, make sure all owners have signed off on the car before going through with a purchase.
4. Salvage title
A vehicle pink slip may list a vehicle as having a salvage title. What this means is that at one time in the car's life, an insurance company recorded this vehicle as totaled, indicating that the car has been in a major accident with repair costs higher than the vehicle's value. Buyer beware, some of these salvage vehicles may have extensive problems, have voided warranties, and/or not be eligible for comprehensive auto insurance. You can check the full history of the car onCarFax, which takes data from insurance companies, shops, and other providers.
Everything you need to know about
pre-purchase car inspections
The mechanics are available 7 days a week from
7
am to
9
pm but the availability depends on how busy the mechanics are. You can book an appointment online by selecting your location, car, and the pre-purchase inspection job. The availability of the mechanics will appear after you request a quote.
The mechanic performs a standard 150-point inspection that includes a visual inspection of the fluids, body, brakes, cooling system, suspension, HVAC, tires, and overall external appearance. The mechanic will also take photos of the exterior and interior. You can see a sample report here.The mechanic may scan the car's various computers for trouble codes and test drive the vehicle if it's safe and operational and if permission from the owner has been given. If the mechanic inspecting the car is not given permission to test drive the car or it is unsafe to test drive the car, the inspection will be completed without the road test portion.
Our mechanics provide detailed evaluations of each car they inspect, and report the condition of the car to you as soon as it's complete. The report is sent electronically to your email address and no phone calls are made. If you have questions about the report or want to speak directly to the mechanic who performed the inspection, you can contact our customer service team at 1-855-347-2779 and we will have the mechanic contact you.
For your convenience, our mechanics go to the car owner's location to inspect the car. They do not put the car on a lift but may use floor jacks to raise up parts of the car as needed. For example, the rear of the car may be jacked up a few inches off the ground in order for the mechanic to inspect the wheels and tires.
Diagnostic equipment is not typically used in a pre-purchase inspection. Tools used in the pre-purchase inspections are those needed to check the fluids, brakes, tires, batteries, and other parts of the vehicle. An OBD II scanner may be used to record any trouble codes that may exist. One important part of the inspection is the mechanic's years of experience working on cars and providing their expert feedback on the condition of the car.
The mechanic will identify the VIN (vehicle identification number), but does not check the authenticity of the VIN, history, or title. When you find a car in which you're interested, you need to determine whether there are major potential problems with the car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a list of recalls and Technical Service Bulletins, which you may check regarding the car you have in mind for purchase. You'll want to know if the car has been in any accidents, failed smog checks, or had other past issues. You can check the history of the car on CarFax, which takes data from insurance companies, shops, and other providers.
Booking a pre-purchase inspection is the same as booking any other appointment through YourMechanic. We require a credit card to book an inspection, but we will only process the payment after the work is done. If you need to change the credit card number, you can give the mechanic a different card. At this time, we do not accept checks, cash, or PayPal.
On average, a pre-purchase inspection takes a little more than an hour for a mechanic to complete.
A YourMechanic pre-purchase inspection is not guaranteed because it is an assessment of the condition of the car at a specific point in time. After the inspection, a part could be altered that would affect the overall condition of the car, thereby invalidating the mechanic's inspection report. Furthermore, the car is fully assembled and the mechanic cannot see the inside of an engine or transmission during the inspection. Our mechanics do not take the whole car apart to check every component in the car. Thus, there are possibilities of impending failures that are not evident at the time of inspection. Our mechanics use their judgement and years of experience working on cars to provide their best opinion on the condition of the car, and may suggest potential repairs. Due to the complex mechanical structure of cars and the inability for in-depth inspection of various car components to guarantee the continued performance of the car, all claims must be submitted within 2 weeks of the date of inspection. Please note: if it is confirmed that the report contained any inaccuracy, the remedy will be no greater than the purchase price of the inspection service. You can read our full terms and conditions here.
Our mechanics do not include a compression test as part of the pre-purchase inspection. Conducting a compression test involves removing the spark plug and there is the potential for other issues to arise when parts are removed.
Our mechanics undergo a rigorous evaluation and screening process. A large number of our mechanics are ASE certified and have a wealth of hands-on, practical experience.
The cancellation policy for a pre-purchase inspection is the same as cancelling any service by YourMechanic. To avoid a cancellation fee of
29.99
, we request that you cancel the appointment at least
48
hours prior to the start time. You can cancel or reschedule your appointment using your online account, or by calling us at 1-855-347-2779.
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How Much Do Mechanics Charge to Inspect a Car
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